In Today's Newsletter
1. Coding in Minecraft
2. Public Comment: Task Force on Child Care
3. Substance Abuse and Addiction Prevention
4. Alaska Library Association Scholarship
5. NASA 3-D Thursdays for Rural Educators
6. Public Comment: Digital Equity Plan
7. Code of Ethics
8. Alaska Leads Charter School Ranking
9. Careers at DEED
10. RFP: Positive Behavioral Interventions
DEED offices will be closed on Thursday, November 23rd for the holiday. We are thankful for the teachers and staff who help create an excellent education every day!
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 Congratulations to our Coding in Minecraft Competition Winners!
During the 2022-2023 school year, these three schools delivered the most Coding in Minecraft credentials in Alaska (per capita):
- Bethel Regional High
- Chiniak School
- Angoon high School
There are awesome tech prizes for the three winners. Congratulations! Keep coding!
December Dates
DEED will continue to offer Coding in Minecraft professional learning workshops for Alaskan teachers. Check out the available dates and times below:
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Title
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Dates/Times
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Registration Link
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December Professional Learning Option 1
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Monday, December 4th
Monday, December 11th
Monday, December 18th
4 – 6 PM
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Register Here
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December Professional Learning Option 2
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Wednesday, December 6th
Wednesday, December 13th
Wednesday, December 20th
4 – 6 PM
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Register Here
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The Governor’s Task Force on Child Care will deliver two reports to the Governor. The first report is due on December 31, 2023, and focuses on background checks, licensing, and workforce. The second report is due on July 31, 2024, and will focus on access, quality, and subsidies.
The Task Force is seeking public comment on preliminary recommendations for inclusion in the December 2023 report. You can read the recommendations here: FINAL TFCC Master Recommendations 11.15.23.docx (ddaalaska.com)
To provide written comments, please visit: Qualtrics Survey | Qualtrics Experience Management
There will also be a virtual meeting to receive oral public comment:
November 29, 2023
5:30 - 7:30pm
via Zoom - register here: Meeting Registration - Zoom
DEED is partnering with the Department of Health’s Division of Public Health and the Office of Substance Misuse and Addiction Prevention to update two eLearning courses Opioids and the Overdose Epidemic 101 and Naloxone Administration for an Opioid Overdose.
Opioids and the Overdose Epidemic 101: This course provides an overview of Alaska’s opioid epidemic (including fentanyl) and its impact on communities and schools, offers practical tools for school personnel, explains how to identify signs of opioid misuse and what educators can do to help.
Naloxone Administration for an Opioid Overdose: (formerly known as Narcan Administration for an Opioid Overdose)
This is a secondary course to accompany Opioids and the Opioid Epidemic 101. It is a short course providing a brief overview on overdoses related to opioids and how to properly administer Naloxone, a medication used to reverse an opioid overdose. Users will also learn the appropriate actions to take in the event of an overdose at school.
For more information on how to view these updated courses, please visit the eLearning website or log in to your eLearning account.
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AkLA has established a scholarship program to provide financial assistance to worthy students pursuing graduate studies leading to a Master’s degree in Library and Information Studies and to encourage graduates to return to Alaska to work in professional library positions. Scholarships may be awarded for both on-campus and/or distance education programs. Preference will be given to an individual meeting the federal definition of Alaska Native ethnicity.
Eligibility
An applicant must be an Alaskan resident who:
- is eligible for acceptance, is currently enrolled, or will be a student in a graduate school program during the academic year, semester, or academic quarter for which the scholarship is received.
- makes a commitment to work in an Alaska library for a minimum of one year after graduation as a paid employee or a volunteer, or for two semesters for one semester’s financial assistance. A scholarship recipient who fails to fulfill this commitment will be expected to repay the money received. Candidates awarded the scholarship must supply proof of admission to an accredited program before the scholarship is disbursed.
Amount
Amount for the next academic year will be $4,000.
Criteria for Selection
An individual will be selected by a Scholarship Committee of AkLA based on the following criteria:
- Financial need
- Demonstrated scholastic ability and writing skills
- Applicant’s response to an essay question regarding their professional goals and objectives in pursuing a library career
- Strength of references. Three Applicant Reference Evaluation Forms are required, at least one of which must be from a librarian. References may include additional comments or letters.
- For more information visit https://akla.org/scholarships/
A complete application packet must be postmarked by January 15, 2024. The scholarship recipient will be announced in the spring.
Join hosts Dr. Rachael Arens, Associate Researcher at NAU PLANETS and Luke Henke, Education Advisor for NASA HEAT, on Thursday, Dec. 7th at 8pm ET / 4pm AKST as they welcome NASA HEAT Education Specialist Christina Milotte who will discuss how to become part of the NASA Heliophysics professional learning community of teachers and learn about the variety of NASA Heliophysics resources available for educators to prepare for the upcoming total solar eclipse.
Access registration here.
Past episodes can be viewed online at: NASA Science.
Too many communities in Alaska lack access to high-speed internet. Many more face affordability barriers. There is a stark divide between those who have internet access and those who don't. Digital equity means all have access to reliable and affordable high-speed internet to access education, healthcare, employment, and participate in today’s economy.
Starting November 9, 2023, and running through December 9, 2023, the Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development (DCCED), Alaska Broadband Office (ABO), is seeking public comment on the State of Alaska’s Digital Equity Plan.
The Digital Equity Act provides $2.75 billion nationwide to establish grant programs that promote digital equity and inclusion. In advance of “Capacity Grant Awards” (managed by the State of Alaska ABO) the Rasmuson Foundation and their partners over the last year have collected and compiled data and drafted the initial State of Alaska Digital Equity Plan.
The document outlines the inequities that exist in the state and develops Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that are focused on reducing or eliminating digital inequity for eight covered populations identified in the Digital Equity Act.
Those populations are:
- Individuals with Disabilities
- Individuals with a Language Barrier
- Individuals who are Members of a Racial or Ethnic Minority
- Individuals who Reside in Rural Areas
- Aging Individuals
- Veterans
- Households at/or below 150% of the Poverty Level
- Incarcerated Individuals
The State of Alaska’s Digital Equity plan and comment form are linked below for public review and comment. All interested parties are invited to submit comments on the Plan using the linked comment form by December 9, 2023.
Draft of Digital Equity Plan
Alaska’s Digital Equity Public Feedback Form
PTPC has a Code of Ethics that is online and accessible to all educators. The most recently amended version, published in August 2018, should be utilized by all school districts and distributed to all certified educators. For school boards and other entities that have the Code of Ethics linked, please double check that the most recent version is the linked version, which can be found at the button below.
Earlier this month, the Program on Education Policy and Governance (PEPG) at Harvard released the first-ever state ranking of charter student performance on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in its groundbreaking report, titled The Nation’s Charter Report Card. According to the report, Alaska leads the pack with an outstanding performance in both math and reading. Alaska shows strongest academic performance from charter school students at 32 percent of a standard deviation above the average charter score nationwide, followed by Colorado and Massachusetts. According to PEPG, a 32% standard deviation above the average national charter score equates to more than one full year of learning.
Charter schools were established to provide alternatives to traditional public schools while maintaining a commitment to public education. The desired outcomes of charter schools include innovation and flexibility, choice and parental involvement, a diversity in educational models, community engagement and collaboration, and increased student achievement.
"I congratulate the students, parents, teachers, and staff of Alaska's Charter schools in their success. Your learning performance is a testament to your commitment to excellence," said Department of Education and Early Development (DEED) Commissioner Dr. Deena Bishop
Check out DEED's congratulatory press release here: Alaska Leads Charter Student Performance in New Ranking
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Want to work with DEED? We have a variety of positions currently open, including positions with Teacher Certification and Libraries, Archives, & Museums. More information and other job postings can be seen at: Workplace Alaska
The Alaska Department of Education & Early Development works to improve student outcomes utilizing the priorities outlined in Alaska’s Education Challenge. This initiative will provide districts/schools with the opportunity to review, refresh, and/or begin working with Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports through monthly training and coaching sessions.
For students to be able to learn effectively, they need to feel safe and respected, and they need to be responsive to their teachers and peers. PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) provides the routines and systems to provide this solid foundation. Alaska’s Education Challenge Priority 5 addresses the need for a safe and healthy school environment. This training exposes school teams to a behavioral framework that will support growth in positive behavior and school culture, leading to systemic change in schools. Districts/schools will receive support and guidance from PBIS trainers to help with the planning and implementation of their programs. Creating cohorts that are trained by DEED hosted trainers ensures that the goals of the PBIS initiative are successful. The goal of this project is to develop experts in each school who can guide their processes as they work toward positive behavioral routines and procedures.
Proposals are due by 3:00pm AK Standard Time on November 24, 2023.
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